It All Started at the Leaky
by beatlechicksteph
Summary: On the run after the events of Winter Soldier, Bucky finds himself in a strange bar, where he meets a very beautiful and generous woman.


**One Shot for Marvelously Magical Bingo 2018, for my square Bucky Barnes/Hermione Granger**

Bucky Barnes looked around the alley to make sure he wasn't followed. He had been on the run for a while, and he was sure that everyone had given up trying to find him, but he didn't want to take any chances. He would not go back in the tube. He would not be used as a killing machine anymore. That life was over. Living on the run wasn't any life to be had, either, but it was a hell of an improvement over being used to murder people.

He had been moving through Europe ever since he left DC a year ago. He was tempted to contact Steve and tell him he was okay, that his mind was his own, at least for now, but he didn't want to risk anything. Steve was working for SHIELD, and Bucky was a wanted murderer. Steve was too damn pure to just let a wanted murderer go uncaught. No, calling Steve was a bad idea.

Somehow Bucky had found himself in London. For a while he had stuck to low-key towns and cities, not any major metropolitan locations. People would first look for him there. Now, after a year, he decided he could get lost in a crowd. And he needed somewhere where he wouldn't stick out too much. He had thought about Russia, since he was fluent, thank you Hydra, but he opted to go to London. He would be able to fit in, and he spoke the language. But even though he was certain he could blend, that didn't end his paranoia. Hence the ducking down alleys and constantly looking over his shoulder. Bucky wasn't stupid.

He found a bar at the other end of the alley, and he said a little prayer that maybe they would have lodging. He really needed a bed to sleep in for a couple nights. He was tired of sleeping in the woods or on rooftops.

He pushed open the door to the bar, and the white haired bar tender looked up from what he was doing. In fact, everyone in the bar stopped what they were doing to watch him enter the bar. So much for anonymity. He pulled his ball cap down a little further over his eyes and approached the bar. He sat down on the stool, and set his bag down by his feet. Tilting his head down at the bar, he tried to hide his face as much as possible.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked.

"Whatever you have on tap is fine," Bucky answered, not looking up from the bar top.

"That's not very specific," the bartender stated. "We have lots on tap."

"Whatever is good," Bucky said. "I don't care."

He cringed at how rude it came out, but he really just wanted the bartender to get his drink and leave him be. He didn't like all this attention that he was getting. He was already feeling the urge to run, his leg bouncing up and down on the bar at the bottom of the barstool. A minute later, his drink was being slid in front of him and a price was being spoken to him, and then he realized while he had cash, he hadn't had a chance to change it over to British pounds yet. He started stammering, trying to come up with an excuse to the bartender, when he heard money slide across the bartop from his right. He looked over and saw a pretty woman perched on the stool next to his handing the bartender some money.

"Here, Tom," she said. "I'll cover him tonight. Whatever he needs."

The bartender grunted, took the money and then walked away.

"You didn't need to do that," Bucky said, quietly, turning his attention back to the bar top and his drink. "I have money."

"Well, looking at your condition, I assumed you have just arrived into town, and that maybe you haven't had a chance to change your money over just yet. But if I'm mistaken, feel free to pay me back," the woman said.

Bucky didn't say anything, because she had him pegged right. And for some reason that made him even more anxious. Did she recognize him? Was she some form of British SHIELD?

"That's what I thought," the woman continued. "I gave Tom enough money for you to order a meal and get a room. The rooms here are decent. Get a good night's rest, and then tomorrow it would be a good idea to go change your money over. You won't find very many benevolent souls willing to pay your way in this city."

He heard the legs of the barstool scrape against the floor as she stood up. "Good luck," she said as she passed by. As she moved behind him and toward the exit, Bucky turned to get a better look at the person who was kind enough to lend him some money. She had long curly hair that reached her waist, and she was slim, and her ass was amazing. He was admiring the way her ass swayed as she walked, certain parts of his body remembering that, yes, they were male, and yes, it had been a very long time, when she turned around and caught his eye. She had chocolate eyes, a button nose and she was fucking gorgeous. She flashed him a crooked smile, one that said she knew he was checking out her ass, before she turned back around and exited the door.

Once she was gone, Bucky turned back to the bar, and signaled the bar tender to see about the meal and the room that apparently had been paid for.

~BB~

A week later, Bucky found himself not only still staying at the Leaky Cauldron still, but working behind the bar. And he was told it was an honor to be helping out Tom, but since he couldn't afford to continue paying rent, it became sort of essential to work. But the weird thing was Tom would only let him serve certain customers, not everyone. Which he felt was a little strange, but he didn't argue.

He grabbed a rag and began wiping down the counter, since Tom hadn't pointed him in the direction of a new patron for a while. He shook his head. For some reason there was always a buzzing sound when he worked down here. And it was starting to mess with his head. He pulled down the bill of his hat a little bit more over his eyes. Being out in the open like this made him nervous. But it helped that this bar was very run down, and dingy, and fairly empty most of the time.

He heard the barstool in front of where he was standing scrape against the floor and someone sit down. He didn't say anything, he waited for directions from Tom.

"You're still here," he heard a woman's voice say from in front of him say. He looked up and saw the woman from the week before sitting in front of him, giving him a large smile. He blushed.

"I am," he said quietly, forcing himself to keep his eyes on her and not avert his gaze.

"It's good to see you again," she said. "I'm glad you've stuck around."

Bucky gave her a nervous smile in return. He really didn't know what to say.

"Are you going to take my order?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I have to wait for Tom to tell me if I'm allowed to," he said quietly. "He's very particular about who I get to serve."

The woman laughed. "It's fine, Tom knows me."

Bucky glanced over at Tom who just gave him a nod before turning back to the woman. "What can I get you?"

"I'll have a pint of Butterbeer and a sandwich please," the woman replied.

"I'm sorry," Bucky said, "But I don't really know what a butterbeer is."

The woman's smile faltered, but only barely. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I say butterbeer? I meant a Guinness, can you excuse me for a minute."

She stood from her stool and walked over to where Tom was and the two whispered to each other before she walked back and sat down. He had gotten her her pint, and was walking away.

"I'm Hermione, by the way," she said, reaching her hand across the bar.

"James," he said, taking her hand.

"It's nice to meet you, James," she replied. "My nephew is actually James, so it will be easy to remember."

Bucky just nodded to her and moved on down the bar to continue wiping it down. Just a few more hours and he could go back up to his room.

"So, James, what brings you to our part of the world?" Hermione was asking.

"You're a bit nosy, aren't you?" Bucky found himself retorting, cursing himself for being so forward, drawing more attention to himself.

"I am," Hermione said, matter of factly. "It's one of my more endearing personality traits."

Bucky laughed at that, like really laughed. Hermione laughed right along with him.

"You should do that more often," Hermione said. "Laughing suits you. And maybe lose the hat, you look like you're hiding from something always having it pulled down over your eyes like that."

Bucky froze, and stood up straighter. He turned away from her and focused on straightening up the glasses on the back wall of the bar.

"Oh," Hermione said. "I'm sorry," she said.

He shook his head, and just continued doing what he was doing. He didn't need her pity. And he didn't need her prying anymore.

"What time do you get off here?" she asked.

"Nine," he replied, and even as he said it, he didn't know why. He didn't know why just being around her made him say things that he wouldn't normally say.

"Good," she said, slipping some money across the counter. "I'll be back at nine. Let me take you to get some ice cream."

"You don't need to do that," Bucky said.

"I do. You need to get out and see some of this wonderful city, and I would like to know the very handsome mystery man I've had the pleasure of running into twice now. Please allow me to do this. If this is a disaster I'll leave you alone, and only fawn over you from afar, deal?"

Bucky shook his head. "You should just forget about me," he said. "I'm no good."

Hermione shook her head. "Can't forget about you. You're very memorable. Please? Just one ice cream."

Bucky shook his head, but then found himself nodding.

Hermione broke out into a huge grin. "Brilliant. I'll be back at nine."

She stood from her stool and gave him a little wave before she moved to the exit. And Bucky once again found himself admiring her ass as she walked away, and couldn't help but wonder how it would feel in his one hand while he held her up as he fucked her against he wall in his letted room. He immediately shook that thought out of his head before turning back and getting back to work. It was just one ice cream, and he wouldn't let it get any further than that. Of course his head knew that, but his dick had other thoughts.

~BB~

The door opened at exactly nine, and Bucky watched as Hermione re-entered the bar. She had changed since she had been in here last. Instead of the strange almost judge like robes she had been wearing earlier, she was now wearing a sun dress that showed of a pair of amazing tits. Bucky could feel himself growing hard just looking at her. Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun on the back of her head. And as she smiled at him in greeting, he had to try and remind himself that he couldn't make any attachments. It was too dangerous. And if she took one look at his metal arm, she would run for the hills. NO it was better this way. One ice cream.

"Are you ready?" she asked as she approached the bar.

Feeling a confidence that he hadn't felt in a long time, he finally looked up from the bar and looked her directly in her eyes. If she was this hot, and she was interested in him, he was going to take advantage of this. He may not be able to fuck her, but he was going to enjoy every minute with her. "Yeah, I am."

She smiled. "What can I do to convince you to walk out of here sans the grungy baseball hat?"

Bucky smirked at her, "I don't know, what's on the table? Because I'm sure it wouldn't take much," he said, moving around the bar, after taking his apron off and hanging it up on the hook.

Hermione returned his smirk, and moved toward him, when she was right in front of him, she moved her hands to the side of his face and pulled him down to meet her. Their lips touched, and Bucky groaned with the first contact with woman he's had in probably about seventy years. He immediately flashed back into James Buchanen, before the war, before Hydra turned him into a killing machine, and wrapped his good arm around her, careful to not touch her with the metal one, and pulled her close to his body, deepening the kiss in the process. He felt his cock straining against his pants as he pressed against her stomach. He swallowed her moan as she, too, felt his arousal. He fought every instinct to begin rubbing himself against her, they were in public, after all and instead, pulled back from her.

Before he could get fully away, he felt her reach up and pull the cap off of his head, and toss it in the general direction of the bar, leaning in and whispering to him, "Come on handsome, let's get some ice cream, and maybe we can finish what we started later."

She took his hand and began dragging him out of the bar. The warm summer heat him as he stepped outside. He hadn't set foot outside since he had arrived at the bar a week before. The street was still busy for nine o'clock at night. He noticed after a few steps that Hermione hadn't let go of his hand, so he moved things so they were properly linked.

He wasn't entirely sure if his attraction to Hermione was because he was truly attracted to her, or because she was the first woman to pay attention to him since being unfrozen and it had been over seventy years since he'd had a good fuck.

"So, what do you do for work?" he asked, trying to make small talk as they walked hand in hand down the street.

"I'm, um, a chemist. I spend all my time running experiments in my lab all day. What brings you to London?"

"Just getting away from everything for a while," Bucky said.

Hermione nodded, "Yes, sometimes one does need to do that. Listen, before we get to far into acting on this strange chemistry that we have between one another, you're not a wanted felon are you? Because if I fuck you, and then I find you on the FBI's most wanted, I'm going to be sorely disappointed in myself."

Bucky laughed. "No, not a felon, not on the FBI's most wanted," he said. Technically, he said to himself. No point in being open with a girl who was quickly going to be a way to let off some steam. No strings, just a quick fuck. If he could figure out a way to not touch her with his metal hand. He was not used to girls being quite so forward with wanting to fuck though, seventy years made a huge difference apparently.

"Good," Hermione said. "It's just when I made that comment about how it looked like you were hiding beneath that brim, you got this look, and I just wanted to make sure."

Bucky squeezed her hand. "I'm hiding, but not from the law," he said. Which was mostly true. Captain America and SHIELD were not exactly above board, not anymore.

She turned her head and gave him a smile. "I'm sorry that you're having to hide. I hope that you are starting to feel safe around here."

"I'm feeling pretty safe with you," Bucky said. "And horny as fuck," he admitted.

She laughed. "Yeah, pretty sure that is a mutual feeling. Which I want to apologize, I'm usually not so forward with men. It's been a long time since I've been with someone, and you are very handsome, and I don't know if you feel it, but there's this undeniable chemistry between us. Like I'm just drawn to you. Have been since I sat on the stool next to you that first night."

"Yeah, no, I've felt it too, and it's been a very long time since I've been with anyone, too. So I'm sorry for my enthusiasm."

Hermione squeezed his hand. "It's not unwanted."

Bucky looked down at her and smiled. He glanced to his right and saw a dark alley, that looked like it didn't have another outlet. He pulled her down the alley and stopped about half way up. He pushed her against the wall, and captured her lips with his, and she responded enthusiastically.

He moaned as he felt her tongue caress against his. He moved his right hand down and grabbed her ass. Just as he suspected, it was amazing. He pushed his left hand against the wall, and used his right hand to lift her up. She immediately wrapped her legs around his hips. The skirt of her dress bunched up around her waist, and he could feel the heat of her core against his hardness. He moaned as he pressed his cock against her center.

She pulled away from his lips and moaned into his ear as she began to rock against his cock. His ego soared. He still had it. He had long, grungy hair, and a metal arm, but he could still make a woman moan. He still had it.

He began to rock against her in earnest. He felt her hands in his hair, and then they ran to his shoulders and then, she froze as she ran her hands down his arm. He pulled back and looked up at her. She was looking at his left arm.

"James?" she asked.

He set her down and backed away from her, his cock immediately deflating. Her touching his arm made him think of all the horrible things that he used that arm to do. All the people he had killed. How he was just a weapon. He was not a person. He didn't deserve this beautiful woman in front of him. Even if it were just a quick fuck in an alley before they went their separate ways. No, it was too much for him. He couldn't do this. He needed to go back to the bar, get his things and move on, he had stayed too long in one place.

"James?" Hermione asked once more after she had straightened her skirt. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head and turned from her and began the walk back to the bar. He could hear her behind him, trying to keep up with his long strides, but he ignored her.

He got back to the bar, and threw the door open and then stopped in his tracks. He watched as a couple reached up on the back wall of the bar and tapped a few of the bricks with a stick before the wall parted and opened to a street he didn't even no existed. He just stood there, his mouth agape.

"Fuck," he heard Hermione say from behind him.

"What the fuck is that?" he asked.

"Shit," he heard Tom say from behind the bar. "I thought you were going to keep him out for a while, Hermione?"

"I was," she said, before turning back to Bucky. "James, we can explain."

"Wait," he said turning to Hermione. "You were supposed to be keeping me busy? What was all that about chemistry and strange attraction? Was that all a lie?"

Hermione sighed and ran her hand through the hair that had fallen out of the bun during their tryst in the alley. "No," she said. "None of that was a lie, but it was a great excuse to get you out of the bar for a few hours. Listen, James, why don't you come with me, and I can—"

"No," Bucky said, I don't want to go anywhere with you. I want to know what the fuck is going on," he practically shouted.

Hermione sighed. She and Tom exchanged a look across the bar, and Tom just shrugged before turning back to wiping down the counter.

"Hang on, James, this is going to be unpleasant," Hermione said, before grabbing his arm and Bucky felt a tight feeling before he felt like he was spinning out of control.

~BB~

Bucky felt solid ground under his feet and he immediately collapsed to the ground, placing both hands down. His stomach felt like he was going to lose everything that he had eaten that day. After a few deep breaths he was able to gain control of his stomach. He pushed himself up from the ground and got back to his feet. He looked around and realized that they were no longer in The Leaky Cauldron, they were in what had to be Hermione's home.

"What the fuck just happened?" he asked once he got his bearings.

He looked over at Hermione who was pacing and wringing her hands together, which held a stick of some kind. She was muttering to herself, and it was obvious that she hadn't heard him, so lost in her own world she was.

"Hermione," he said, forcefully, getting her attention. She stopped her pacing and turned toward him.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" she asked.

"I asked what the fuck just happened. Because I just watched the wall in the bar I work at open up like a fucking door and then you, what? Teleported me from the bar to your home?"

Hermione sighed. "I know, and I'm trying to figure out how to deal with this situation, okay? Fuck. You weren't supposed to find out about any of this. It was my job-"

"Wait," Bucky interrupted, "your job? So this," he gestured between the two of them, "was just some part of a job?"

Bucky closed his eyes in frustration. Of course. First action he gets in seventy years and it's because of a job.

"No," Hermione said. "Not, really. I didn't mean it like that," she sighed, running her hands through her hair. "Look, I met you by accident, just like you saw it, and I knew you were a Muggle, so I paid your way that first day. Then Tom told me you were sticking around, and he didn't know what to do. Since I work for the ministry, he thought I would know a solution. You weren't even supposed to have been able to even find the Leaky, but there you were, and you weren't leaving. So I suggested you work there to pay for your room and board. Tom had been very good at keeping a silencing spell around you so you wouldn't hear any conversations, and he would confund you so you wouldn't notice when people were coming and going through the Alley. Tonight he asked if I would take you out somewhere else. SInce I was already attracted to you, it was easy for me to say yes. So, technically, it was my job to keep you out of the bar for a few hours. But everything else was real. Very out of character for me, but real none the less."

Bucky stared at her. "You said a lot of things, but I'm pretty sure I only understood about seventy percent of it."

Hermione sighed. "I'm not supposed to tell you more. It's the law. I could get in trouble. Technically I'm supposed to be altering your memories right now and sending you on your way."

Bucky got into a defensive stance, throwing his metal arm up between them. "You stay away from my mind," he yelled, his voice cracking in his panic.

Hermione held her hands up, her eyes on his hand. "Calm down, I never said I was going to do it," she said. "What happened to you? Did someone mess with your mind, James?"

Bucky tried to calm his breathing down, but it was difficult. "You wouldn't understand. And besides, why should I tell you anything? You're not telling me anything about what the fuck is going on here. Just let me leave, I'll get my stuff, and you'll never see me again."

Hermione shook her head. "Fair."

They stood there like that, Bucky holding his hand out to defend against anything she was going to do to him, and Hermione her hands up, for a long time. Finally, Hermione spoke up.

"I'm a witch," she said, quietly. "I'm a witch, and where you were working was a magical establishment, and it was supposed to be hidden from non-magical people. We have something called that statute of secrecy, we're not supposed to reveal ourselves to non-magical people. That's why we, Tom and I, have been trying to hide the world from you. We don't know how or why you found the Leaky, but you looked like you were hiding, so we decided to keep you around to help you out with that. You were never supposed to find out about our world, because of our laws."

Bucky looked at her, really looked at her. She was telling the truth, he could tell. Plus there was no reason for her to lie. And if he hadn't been frozen for seventy years and brainwashed into an assassin, he would have had a harder time believing her. He put down his arm, and unzipped his hoodie, pulling it off. He then grabbed the back of the neck of his shirt and pulled it over his head. He stood in Hermione's living room, shirtless, unable to meet Hermione's eyes.

"I was born March 10, 1917. I enlisted in the army during World War II, and I ended up fighting alongside my friend Steve Rogers once he became Captain America and lead an elite squad. We were on a train after tracking down one of the top aids in Hydra. There was a fight, and I ended up falling off the moving train and down a bridge. I blacked out halfway down. Next thing I remember I'm getting this," he gestured to his bionic arm, "attached to me. And then things get spotty after that. Apparently they kept me frozen, and used me as an assassin. I don't remember most of anything that happens when I'm under their mind control. My friend Steve was able to get me away, and I've been on the run for the last year. So basically I'm a nearly one hundred year old murderer."

Bucky continued to look down at his feet. He didn't think he could look at Hermione's reaction to his story. He didn't want to see the disgust and disappointment. He would just wait for the inevitable rejection.

He heard her soft footsteps coming slowly toward him, but he was still surprised when he felt her soft touch on his shoulder, right where his arm joined his body.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, running her hand along the spot where skin met metal.

He shook his head. "No."

"Good," she said. She reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand, forcing him to look up and meet her eyes. Instead of the disgust he was expecting, or even pity, he just saw compassion. "You know?" she said. "You look amazing for being nearly one hundred." She smiled at him, and that caused him to smile back at her, and soon they were laughing.

"You're not disgusted by me?" he asked once they had sobered up.

She shook her head. "No," she said.

"Even with this monstrosity?" he asked, gesturing to his arm.

Hermione took a step back and held up her arm. She waved her stick over it, and her forearm, which had been smooth just a second ago, now sported a scar. Bucky reached out and took her arm in his hands, and brought it up to his face. It was not just a scar. It was a word, and it had been carved into her skin.

"What's this?" he asked, not taking his eyes off of it.

"When I was younger our world was at war. And I was on the front line. We were on the run, and then we were captured. I was tortured for information. The woman torturing me used this curse that feels like you're being electrocuted. When I still wouldn't talk, she carved this into my arm. It's a slur. I was born into a non-magical family, so it means my blood is dirty, I'm not 'pure.'"

Bucky could feel his blood pressure rising with every word she uttered. "I'm going to kill her."

"Too late, she's already dead."

Bucky took his eyes off the scar and met her eyes. She held his gaze. He closed the gap between them, capturing her lips with his, and she immediately opened her mouth to him. He moved his hands down her sides, and grabbed onto her hips, bringing them flesh with his. His cock beginning to harden against her. She ran her hands along his shoulders and along the plane of his back. He reached down and grabbed her ass, lifting her from the ground, and she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. He took a few steps forward until he had her pressed against the wall in her living room, essentially bringing them right back to where they were in the alley.

Bucky tore his mouth away from hers and began trailing kisses down the side of her neck, finding her pulse point, and sucking hard, eliciting the most amazing moan from Hermione.

"Oh, merlin, James," Hermione panted out, as she ground down on his dick.

"Bucky," he said, as he rocked against her. "Call me Bucky."

"Oh, gods, Bucky," she moaned, and hearing his name on her lips spurred him on. He reached between them and slipped his hand into her underwear and found her wet and ready for him. He circled her nub with his finger a couple times before slipping it inside of her, and giving her a few pumps. It wasn't long before he felt her falling apart around him. He quickly removed her hands from her and undid the fly of his jeans, freeing his cock. He pulled her underwear to the side and plunged inside her warm, wet heat.

The pace they set was fast and hard, as Bucky lost himself in her arms and her heat. It didn't take long before he felt her going over the edge again, and he was thankful because he didn't think he would be able to last much longer. He drove into her a few more times before he followed her over, spilling his seed into her womb.

They stood there, catching their breath, thankful that his arm had super strength, to hold her up. After a few minutes, they finally caught their breath, and Bucky let her slide to the ground. She rested her head on his bare chest, and closed her eyes. Bucky wrapped his arm loosely around her.

"If you're in hiding, it's probably not a good idea to be working at a bar," Hermione said quietly.

"Probably not," Bucky said.

"Maybe you should just stay here, I have wards around here, no one can find it. You know, just to be safe."

Bucky nodded. "Of course, just to be safe. I have a little money, I can pay—"

"Don't worry about it," Hermione said. "I'm a war heroine, and I got a shit ton of money after the war. And I work full time. I don't need your money."

"Then I'll pull my weight around here. Cook, clean, and whatever else you need."

"I'll like that. Your companionship will be more than enough. It's pretty lonely alone."

"I know," Bucky said, holding her tighter, and closing his eyes, thanking whoever was out there for bringing him to that bar and allowing him to meet this amazing woman. He felt as if a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders and he felt himself relax for the first time in who knew how long. He wondered if this is what it felt like to have a home.

 **This is the last of my one shots! In addition to trying to work on an original novel to release in 2019, I'm going to work on a few multi-chapter fics after the new year. So, follow me here, or on Twitter ( beatlechickstep) to stay up to date on all my newest stuff in the New Year!**


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